One of the biggest headaches when applying for a study visa to France is sorting out accommodation. Trust me, it’s a major issue. You’re going to need some kind of proof—like an attestation or housing contract—to even get your visa application looked at.

French consulates aren’t messing around when it comes to student visa applications—you absolutely need to show proof of accommodation. This could be an attestation from someone hosting you or, more commonly, a signed housing contract from a residence or landlord. If you don’t have this document, forget it—your visa might not even get through the door.

So, in this post, I’m going to hook you up with some websites where you can easily grab that all-important housing contract.

When I was applying for my visa, I actually ended up going with a Safehouse contract. Yeah, I know—there were all these rumors flying around that using a Safehouse certificate could get your visa denied. But honestly, it was my only realistic option at the time.

See, my school had already sorted out CROUS accommodation for me, but the details weren’t finalized yet, and I couldn’t just sit around waiting because I needed to get that visa application in. So, I went ahead and got the Safehouse certificate.

Here’s how they work: they give you this certificate or attestation with an address, your personal details, and the duration of your stay. It cost me 350 euros, and they’re upfront about the fact that the address on the contract might not end up being where you actually live. Once your visa is approved, you can choose from the available options, and they deduct the 350 euros from your total rent. Not a bad deal if you actually plan on staying with them.

But here’s the thing—since I was planning to move into CROUS anyway, I ended up just letting that 350 euros go. No regrets though! It got me through the visa process, and that was the most important thing.

When it comes to getting a visa for France, securing accommodation is key—even if it’s not where you’ll actually end up living. The whole point is getting that housing contract for your visa application. So, here’s my go-to list of places where you can score that contract:

1.Safehouse – Top of my list!

2. Living France

3. Studapart

4. CROUS

5. Lokaviz

6. Leboncoin

7. Roomlala

And hey, if you’re looking for more info, Campus France has a helpful guide on housing, which you can check out here.